Surgical dressing unit



H. GANZ SURGICAL DRES SING UNIT Sept; 14-, 1943,

Filed March 28, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 HENRY n/vz v m I ATTORNEY R 0 T N E w Sept. 14, 1943. H. GANZ 2,329,262.

SURGICAL DRESSING UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 28, 1941 INVENTOR [IE/YR Y GA /vz Patented Sept. 14, 1943 2,329,262 SURGICAL DRESSING UNIT Henry Ganz, Ridgefield Park, N. J., assignor to Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick,

N. J., a

corporation of New Jersey Application March 28, 1941, Serial No. 385,589

9 Claims.

' ing the tacky side of the adhesive tape and bandage portion of the In recent years, it has been the practice to wrap these dressings or units individually, in order that each dressing or unit may come to the consumer in a sterile condition.

It is the purpose of this invention to provide an improved dressing or bandage of this type.

It is a further; purpose of this invention to provide a dressing of this type that is easily removable from its hermetically sealed wrapper dressing.

with a minimum effort and possibility of con-.

tagion.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a surgical dressing or unit embodying the principles of this invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse section taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional perspective taken on the plane of the rip-cord;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective illustrating the first step in folding the wrapper about the dressing;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective of the end portion of the dressing illustrating the second step in which the ends are turned upwardly;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, illustrating the third step or the first folding of the end portion;

Figure 7 is a similar view illustrating the next step .or the second turning of the end portion, the final folded position being illustrated in Flgure 1;

Figure 8 illustrates the manner in which the sealed surgical dre.;sing is opened for discharge of the dressing by pulling the ri.p cord. The direction of tear after the end portion has been removed is indicated by the arrow; and

Figure 9 illustrates the manner in which the surgical dressing may be extruded from the torn wrapper by the manipulation-of one hand only.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Figures 1, 2, and 4, there is illustrated a conventional adhesive bandage known to the trade as Band-Aid, and comprising an absorbent pad I, carried by the tacky side of astrip of surgical adhesive tape 2, to which is also attached the usual protective covering strips of crinoline 3, the entire bandage being enclosed in a wrapper 4.

The individual units may be produced in any suitable or convenient manner such as in the manner disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 316,664, filed January 31,1940.

In this application, there is shown suitable mechanisms for forming the surgical dressing or unit and substantially hermetically sealing the latter in the wrapper 4 in such a manner that the wrapper 4 overlaps upon one or the upper surface as at 4a as clearly shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4.

In accordance with the present invention, a rip-cord is inserted in the wrapping operation whereby the wrapper may readily be opened whenever desired. For this purpose 6, is laid along one longitudinal edge of the dressing prior to wrapping so as to lie within the first longitudinal fold of the wrapper and for the full length thereof. In order to assist in retaining the rip-cord in place and preventing its being slid out of the wrapper without tearing the latter, an adhesive may be applied to the cord or to the wrapper to cause adhesion of the cord to the wrapper. It is convenient to feed the cord with the wrapping paper prior to folding and cutting and to subsequently sever the cord simultaneously with the wrapper in proper lengths.

After folding the wrapper about the dressing and rip-cord the ends are sealed to provide a substantially hermetically sealed envelope. In seading the ends of the wrapper, each end, after being cut, and with the rip-cord therein, is folded upwardly as illustrated in Figure 5. In the succeeding step, the upturned ends with the ripcord are folded down upon themselves as illustrated in Figure 6, thus putting the first crimp or bight, in the rip-cord. If desired, a strip of adhesive may be applied to the wrapper to .hold

the folded ends down, but this is not necessary' because of the following steps. In the succeeding step the end portions with the ends of the rip-cord therein are again folded upwardly as illustrated in Figure '7, after which an adhesive may be applied and the ends folded downwardly as illustrated in Figure 1, thus putting a second crimp in the rip-cord and effectively sealing the a rip-cord I ends of the wrapper and concealing the ends of the rip-cord.

By having the rip-cord co-extensive, that is, of a length equal to the full length of the wrapper and folding the ends of the cord with the end portions of the wrapper, the rip-cord is gripped and positively prevented from being pulled out of the wrapper without severing the latter. Furthermorea grip or handle is provided for the rip-cord after the end is torn off, eliminating the necessity of holding the end of the fine rip-cord.

In use the Band-Aid or surgical dressing may be released by holding the Band-Aid between the thumb and forefinger of one hand while one end portion is torn off with the other hand. The torn off portion will contain the upper end of the rip-cord, (Figure 8) and as the end portion is moved away from the body por-' tion, the rip-cord will tear through the longitudinal side fold of the wrapped Band-Aidthus slitting'the entire wrapper as shown in Figure 9. After-the top and side have been slit open by the rip-cord, the Band-Aid or other surgical dressing may be removed from the wrapper as illustrated in Figure 9 by wriggling or sliding the thumb and forefinger back and forth. Thus, the Band-Aid is discharged from the wrapper after removal of the end portion and slitting of the one side by the manipulation of one hand alone and without the necessity of contacting the Band-Aid. In this way, the Band-Aid remains sterile until actual application.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent, that there has been provided a novel combination whereby a surgical dressing may be packaged and retained in a sterile manner and yet easily discharged from the wrapper without it becoming unsterile until actually ready for use. It will also be obvious to those skilled in the art that minor variations may be indulged in the details of the construction without departing from the spirit and scopeof this invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A surgical dressing unit comprising a surgical dressing, a sealed wrapper surrounding said dressing, and a rip-cord within said wrapper coextensive with the length of said wrapper, each end of said rip-cord being concealed within and secured to its associated wrapper end whereby the wrapper end may be used to cause a lengthwise opening of the sealed wrapper and said end is prevented from being detached from the body of said wrapper without tearing the latter lengthwise.

2. A surgical dressing unit comprising a surgical dressing, a wrapper surrounding said dressing, and a rip-cord within said wrapper co-extensive with the length of said wrapper, each end of said wrapper and said rip-cord being folded upon itself whereby the rip-cord is concealed and secured and prevented from being detached from said wrapper without tearing the latter.

3. A surgical dressing unit comprising a surgical dressing, a wrapper surrounding said dressing, and a rip-cord within said wrapper co-extensive with the length of said wrapper, each end of said wrapper and said rip-cord being folded twice upon itself whereby the ends of the rip-cord are concealed and secured and the rip-cord is prevented'from being detached from said wrapper without tearing the latter.

4. A surgical dressing unit comprising a surgical dressing, a wrapper surrounding said dressing, and a rip-cord within said wrapper co-extensive with the length of said wrapper, and being adhesively attached thereto, each end of said wrapper and said rip-cord being folded upon itself whereby the ends of the rip-cord are concealed and secured and the rip-cord is prevented from beingdetached from said wrapper without tearing thelatter.

5. A surgical dressing unit comprising a surgical dressing, a wrapper surrounding said dressing, and a rip-cord within said wrapper co-extensive with the length of said wrapper, and being adhesively attached thereto, each end of said wrapper and said rip-cord being folded twice upon itself whereby the ends of the rip-cord are concealed and secured and the rip-cord is prevented from being detached from said wrapper without tearing the latter.

6. A surgical dressing unit comprising a surgical dressing, a sealed wrapper folded longitudinally, about said dressing, and a rip-cord disposed within one of the longitudinal folds of said wrapper and being co-extensive withthe length of said Wrapper each end of said wrapper and the corresponding end of said rip-cord being secured together with the rip-cord concealed whereby the ends of said wrapper may be used to cause a lengthwise tearing of said wrapper and are prevented from being detached from the body of said wrapper without longitudinally tear- 1" ing the latter. 7 i

7. A surgical dressing unit comprising a surgical dressing, a wrapper folded longitudinally, about said dressing, and a rip-cord" disposed within one of the longitudinal folds of said wrapper and being co-extensive with the length of said wrapper, each end of said wrapper and the corresponding end of said rip-cord being folded together whereby the rip-cord is prevented from being detached from said wrapper without longitudinally tearing the latter.

8. Asurgical dressing unit comprising a surgical dressing, a' wrapper folded longitudinally, about said dressing, and a rip-cord disposed within one of the longitudinal folds of said wrapper and being co-extensive with the length of said wrapper, and being adhesively attached thereto, each end of said wrapper and said ripcord being folded upon itself whereby the ends of the rip-cord are concealed and secured and the rip-cord is prevented from being detached from said wrapper without tearing the latter.

9. A surgical dressing unit comprising a surgical dressing, a wrapper folded longitudinally, about said dressing, and a rip-cord disposed within one of the longitudinal folds of said wrapper and being co-extensive with the length of said wrapper, and being adhesively attached 

